Being in Baltimore, we are fortunate enough that we don't need to travel far to get our fashion fix. Here's a handy round-up of upcoming goings-on in our own backyards!

The MICA Fashion Shows

…They’re coming up just around the corner. The first is in its 20th year as a benefit show for the school. Ex Tempore, will be showing the ways that different generations can affect designs. The event takes place on April 13th at 8 p.m. and is in the Brown Center at 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave.

Proceeds from the event are going to the Office of Diversity and Intercultural Development and tickets are available here or at the MICA store on 1200 W. Mount Royal Ave.

Christopher Schafer is a man with many titles and talents—Baltimore Fashion Alliance board member, proprietor at Christopher Schafer Clothier, and Condor-Like the Bird’s drummer—whom I had the pleasure of interviewing recently. The fashion forward, passionate, business guru just celebrated a birthday which he spent in Jamaica with his lovely wife and family. Not only does he design custom clothing and fit men and women in high-quality designed suits, he also has a niche for philanthropy and giving back to the community. The Baltimore Fashion Alliance partnered with Living Classrooms Foundation’s Mentoring Academy to create Sharp Dressed Man—a program that helps prepare less fortunate individuals enter the workforce by providing recycled professional attire. The organization is holding an open house event today at its...

The Baltimore Fashion Alliance board member Christopher Schafer (of Christopher Schafer Clothier) is partnering his boutique with Sharp Dressed Man in an open house on March 20th from 5-8 p.m. Stop by the 200 year-old, newly-renovated building in Mount Vernon and help change some lives by donating your gently worn suits during the event....

The goal of the Little Characters Search is to feature local, fun, and stylish kids. From now through April 7, Wee Chic is asking families in the area to submit photos of their children to the online gallery. Following the end of the search, a panel of local celebs will choose 30 kids to be styled and participate in the photo shoot, shot by Laura Black of ...

The Fest-of-All is a celebration of any and all things Federal Hill—taking place at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, tomorrow February 23rd at 7p.m. There will be food and drinks (open bar!) with a silent auction, a fashion show, and live music by The Real Geniuses. The show will feature items from nine local boutiques (listed below). Thirty-one restaurants and bars will be supplying the food and drinks for the event while the silent auction takes place. There are advance tickets for $75 but they will jump to $90 at the door. If you haven't purchased them yet, you’re not too late; just buy them before 2 p.m. the day of the event to take advantage of the advance ticket price. Monesha Phillips, owner of Pandora’s Box Boutique in Federal Hill (and co-chair fashion show coordinator) explained how attending will support one of our favorite neighborhoods, saying, “all of the proceeds go to benefit Federal Hill Main Street, a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening the business district of Federal Hill....

It’s rare nowadays that we get the chance to appreciate the art of hand-crafted items, so it’s a good thing that the American Craft Council (ACC) is coming to town to remind us of the way everything used to be made (before factories and all that jazz). Starting today and running through Sunday, February 24, the ACC show will be at the Baltimore Convention Center where over 650 artisans of jewelry, clothing, home goods, and furniture from across the country will be showing their wares.

It’s always refreshing to find a fashion brand that focuses on the one-of-a kind aspect of style, not just the “cookie-cutter.” LITTLEbird—a kids/teen lifestyle company which has offices in Baltimore and New York—strives to encourage girls to personalize what they wear, making it completely their own. The Impulse collection will be launching at Macy’s (Impulse department, level 3) in DC on February 28th at 5:30p.m., where local stylist and CEO of LITTLEbird, Zoey Washington, will be there to answer your DIY wardrobe styling questions. RSVP for this event via Event Brite—the first 50 people will receive some free goodies!

By now, all those “get back into shape” resolutions we made are starting to become more and more of a chore, and we may need some extra encouragement—in the form of brightly colored mesh tanks and compression tees. The new Under Armour Brand House can help you out with that. Their doors officially opened today with all of the newest products by the Baltimore-based company, as well as some items that are exclusive to the area. Come visit the 8,000 square foot location and stock up on gear to keep those New Year’s resolutions going strong.

The hunt for the perfect bag will never end—try as the designers might—but Danielle Nicole Handbags do come pretty close. We featured her in our 2011 December issue with the “In the Bag” story by Jessica Hargest, so she should be on your radar. The bags are affordable (most under the $100 mark), yet highly functional, and stylish. Part of the Spring 2013 collection was launched at Towson Town Center’s Nordstrom today, and even more designs will be showcased at the launch party at Macy’s in Wheaton on Monday.

Founder Danielle DiFerdinando, originally from Maryland (now lives in NYC), is most excited to show the bags with the “embossed snakeskin in coral, teal (pictured), and black,” —it’s her personal fave! This launch party will go from noon until 4p.m....

The second annual Small Boutique Fashion Week show was held during this past New York Fashion Week fall/winter 2013 at the Metropolitan Pavilion. Fellow style intern, Taylor Fuller, and I got the chance to view the new collaboration between local designers, Kerry Leikus and Ella Pritsker—the Keggy Pritsker line. The collection of coats they produced was nothing short of imaginative—featuring bright colors (to help keep this coming fall fun) with vintage inspired feminine cuts. Each coat had its own personality and its own special details (think one-of-a-kind enamel buttons!). The impeccable hair and makeup was supplied by No Worries Salon & Cosmetics in Towson. Just in case Nemo kept you from venturing to NYFW, here are a few photos to give you folks at home a sense of the line’s charm. Enjoy!